Edmondson Avenue (east) – There is an on-road bike lane (1.4 miles) along Edmondson Avenue connecting the #9 to the #8 Streetcar Path (a 0.4 mile trail near the Catonsville Junction Business district). Wide bike lanes are marked with signage and ground stencils along Edmondson Ave. to Rolling Road, where bike lanes end. Use caution in Catonsville Junction Business area from Rolling Road to the #8 Streetcar Path at Dutton Ave. Past Dutton Ave., marked bike lanes will take you to the Baltimore County/City line (2 miles) along this wide avenue to connect to the Gwynns Falls Trail. Be carefully around the Beltway interchange which is due for an upgrade in 2015.

Frederick Road (east) – Travel .5 miles to get to River Road and the Grist Mill trail . Travel 3.3 miles up a steep grade hill to the Village of Catonsville and visit dozens of restaurants and shops. The business district does not have bike lanes so use caution when traveling through this congested area. Lots of bike racks shaped like musical notes.

Frederick Road (west) –The historic town of Ellicott City is to your west about .2 miles across a bridge. .

Trail History – The #9 trolley line arrived in Ellicott City 1899 and served the community for the next 55 years. This route was known for its scenic woodland views as the line dropped into the Patapsco River Valley. In 1991, Aaron Tomarchio of Boy Scout Troop 456, organized the effort to clear and pave the #9 Trolley Line for a bike/hike trail as part of his very successful Eagle Scout project.

Highlights Of The Trail –

Boardwalk – The trail features a boardwalk that curves between the canyons of granite was hand-cut in the 1890s when the electric streetcar rails were built from Ellicott City to Catonsville, and today, these 100-foot walls are a striking gateway to the trail from historic Ellicott City just across the Patapsco River from Oella.

Stream feeding into the Patapsco River provides a peaceful soundtrack to your journey.

What Is Nearby?

Near the 1-mile mark, a short detour off the trail will take you to Banneker Historical Park & Museum, which has nature trails, archaeological sites, and living history areas re-creating the colonial farm and life of Benjamin Banneker, an African-American astronomer and farmer. The Baltimore & Ohio Train Museum highlights the rich history of the nation’s first railroad.